distressed 1 of 2

Definition of distressednext

distressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of distress

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distressed
Adjective
In September 2017, Meghan Markle wore a pair of distressed jeans to the Toronto Invictus Games. Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026 These sandals feature large, stylish statement buckles and two leather straps that have a slightly distressed look. Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 5 May 2026
Verb
Voters are also distressed by the decline in their quality of life, as well as the country’s muddled political landscape – a fact indicated by the twenty candidates for president alone. Djenane Villanueva, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026 Ecru denim also made an appearance, baggy and distressed for a grittier winter look. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressed
Adjective
  • Rotterdam, Netherlands — The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection, wrapping up a troubled journey that put international health authorities on alert.
    CBS News, CBS News, 18 May 2026
  • New owners run into the messy realities of unexpected occupants, legal complications and economic challenges that can keep the troubled parcels stuck in limbo and drag down surrounding neighborhoods.
    Graham Womack May 18, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Christophe is the spry, imaginative middle child to a stern farmer dad in an economically depressed countryside.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 19 May 2026
  • Postpartum depression, per Mayo Clinic, includes symptoms such as depressed mood, difficulty bonding with your baby, changes in appetite, intense irritability and more.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • For the last several months, wildlife experts have been alarmed by a large influx of dead and emaciated seabirds washing up on California beaches.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
  • Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement are alarmed by the speed of the rollbacks, noting that protections won through generations of sacrifice have been weakened in little more than a decade.
    Kim Chandler, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • Dickinson appeared somewhere between perturbed and seething.
    Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • She has also been disturbed by the increase in what looks to her like a lack of trust in science, as seen in falling vaccination rates and rising instances of diseases like measles.
    Deepti Hajela, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • When to Plant Watermelon Seeds Most seed catalogs recommend direct sowing watermelon seeds into gardens or pots because watermelons don’t like to have their roots disturbed.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
Adjective
  • This tiny bird was alone and agitated.
    Lisa Hughes, CBS News, 19 May 2026
  • Unproductively, in the confines of the smaller-scale Fyda-Mar stage, the discordant sensory barrage director Oanh Nguyen brings to bear landed on at least one theatergoer as an agitated, irritating distraction.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Rather than acting out on the anger, take a calming moment with some deep breaths, and think about the possibility that your partner was possibly distracted or stressed out.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • But during the aufguss ceremony at BASIN Glacial Waters, people smiled and laughed and swayed to the music, and Kyan’s dance-like towel moves distracted me from the discomfort of the heat.
    Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • Seven of the rooms are designed to accommodate guests with reduced mobility or any kind of disability.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
  • However, because this is an analysis of observational studies, the research cannot definitively conclude a cause-and-effect relationship between soy and legume consumption and reduced hypertension risk.
    Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressed. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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